I’ve always prioritized running and strength training over other styles of exercise. I do running for fun, and I strength train to make sure I can keep running without injuries. I’ve tried hot yoga, Pilates and slow-style exercise as well, but I find it a bit boring.
However, when the opportunity came up to test the Pilates-inspired workout app Pvolve, I was intrigued. I was nearing the end of a marathon training plan and my body was in need of some TLC. Jennifer Aniston had also partnered with the brand and given it her seal of approval—and if she recommends something, I’m trying it.
The workouts focus on low-impact, resistance-based movements. A lot of the sessions can be done without equipment, but you can also buy various Pvolve exercise tools to tap into more challenging workouts. I tried the app with the ‘signature bundle’, which includes a precision mat, P.ball and P.band plus a one month subscription.
There are several different styles of workout on the app, including cardio sessions, strength training routines, stretching sequences and meditations. I tried all of the above, and was surprised at how effective I found the virtual classes.
The Pvolve method
Pvolve bills itself as a ‘science-backed’ workout app. It has a clinical advisory board that designs and curates the workouts based on recent exercise studies. But the main difference I noticed between Pvolve and other apps is that it focuses on low-impact movement: there’s no jumping involved, even during the cardio classes.
Classes fall under seven different categories: strength & sculpt, progressive weight training, cardio burn, mat definition (core-focused workouts), recover & stretch, movement therapy and meditation. You can also filter classes by their length, body area and intensity. There are live classes too, streamed via Zoom, where you can chat with trainers before and after sessions.
The workouts encourage slow, controlled movements that work smaller, overlooked muscles. Even the…
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